Invasive Species: Animals - European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) European Starling Scientific name: Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 ( ITIS ) Common name: European starling, common starling, English starling Date of U.S. Introduction: 1890 ( Fofonoff et al. 2003 ) Means of Introduction: Introduced as part of a plan to introduce to the U.S. all birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare ( Fofonoff et al. 2003 ) Impact: Competes with native species; destroys crops ( Fofonoff et al. 2003 ) Current U.S. Distribution: Entire U.S. Images: Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - JungleDragon JungleDragon Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris The Common Starling , also known as the European Starling or just Starling, is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae. This species of starling is native to most of temperate Europe and western Asia.

It is resident in southern and western Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in winter to these regions, and also further south to areas where it does not breed in Iberia and north Africa. It has also been introduced to Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, North America, and South Africa. More Appearance It is among the most familiar of birds in temperate regions. It is :Template:Convert/â€“ long, with a wingspan of :Template:Convert/â€“ and a weight of :Template:Convert/â€“. The plumage is shiny black, glossed purple or green, and spangled with white, particularly strongly so in winter. Adult male European Starlings are less spotted below than adult females. The throat feathers are long and loose, and used as a signal in display. Juveniles are grey-brown, and by their first winter resemble adults though often retain some brown juvenile feathering especially on the head in the early part of the winter. The legs are stout, pinkish-red.

The bill is narrow conical with a sharp tip; in summer, it is yellow in females, and yellow with a blue-grey base in males, while in winter, and in juveniles, it is black in both sexes. Moulting occurs once a year, in late summer after the breeding season is finished; the fresh feathers are prominently tipped white or buff . The reduction in the spotting in the breeding season is achieved by the white feather tips largely wearing off. Starlings walk rather than hop. Their flight is quite strong and direct; they look triangular-winged and short-tailed in flight. Confusion with other species is only likely in Iberia, the western Mediterranean and northwest Africa in winter, when it has to be distinguished from the closely related Spotless Starling, which, as its name implies, has less spotting on its plumage. The Spotless Starling can also be diagnostically distinguished at close range by its longer throat feathers. At a more basic level, adult male European Blackbirds can easily be distinguished by more slender body shape, longer tail, and behaviour; they hop instead of walking and do not probe for food with open bills. In flight, only the much paler waxwings share a similar flight profile.

Naming There are several subspecies of the European Starling, which vary in the iridescence of adult plumage. With gradual variation over geographic range and extensive intergradation, the subspecies are said to be clinal. Acceptance of different subspecies varies between different authorities. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris'' Linnaeus, 1758. Common Starling. Most of Europe, except the far northwest and far southeast; also Iceland and the Canary Islands, where it is a recent colonist. Introduced populations worldwide also belong to this subspecies. ⟶ Nominate subspecies. The gloss is green on the head, belly and lower back, bronzy purple on the neck to upper chest and back, and purplish on the flanks and upper wing-coverts. Inconspicuous light buff fringes are present on the under wing-coverts. In eastern parts of range, more purplish and less bronzy gloss. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris faroensis'' Feilden, 1872. Faroese Starling; sometimes misspelt ''faeroensis'' or ''faroeensis''. Faroe Islands. ⟶ Slightly larger than nominate, especially bill and feet.

Adult with darker and duller green gloss and far less spotting even in fresh plumage. Juvenile sooty black with whitish chin and areas on belly; throat spotted black. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris zetlandicus'' Hartert, 1918. Shetland Starling. Shetland Islands. ⟶ Like ''faroensis'' but intermediate in size between that and ''vulgaris''. Birds from Fair Isle, St Kilda and the Outer Hebrides are intermediate between this subspecies and the nominate and placement with ''vulgaris''or ''zetlandicus'' varies according to authority. Dark juveniles are occasionally found in Scotland and southwards, indicating some gene flow from ''faroensis'' or an original polymorphism that became dominant in ''faroensis''. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris granti'' Hartert, 1903. Azores Starling. Azores. ⟶ Like nominate, but smaller, especially feet. Often strong purple gloss on upperparts. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi'' . Eastern Bashkortostan eastwards through Urals and central Siberia, to Lake Baykal and western Mongolia.

⟶ Like nominate, but gloss on head predominantly purple, on back green, on flanks usually purplish-blue, on upper wing-coverts bluish-green. In flight, conspicuous light cinnamon-buff fringes to under wing-coverts and axillaries; these areas may appear very pale in fresh plumage. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris tauricus'' Buturlin, 1904. From Crimea and E of Dnieper River eastwards around coast of Black Sea to W Asia Minor, though not in uplands where replaced by ''purpurascens''. ⟶ Like nominate, but decidedly long-winged. Gloss of head green, of body bronze-purple, of flanks and upper wing-coverts greenish bronze. Underwing blackish with pale fringes of coverts. Nearly spotless in breeding plumage. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris purpurascens'' Gould, 1868. E Turkey to Tbilisi and Lake Sevan, in uplands on E shore of Black sea replacing ''tauricus''. ⟶ Like nominate, but wing longer and green gloss restricted to ear-coverts, neck and upper chest.

Purple gloss elsewehere except on flanks and upper wing-coverts where more bronzy. Dark underwing with slim white fringes to coverts. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris caucasicus'' Lorenz, 1887. Volga Delta through eastern Caucasus and adjacent areas. ⟶ Green gloss on head and back, purple gloss on neck and belly, more bluish on upper wing-coverts. Underwing like ''purpurascens''. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris porphyronotus'' . Western Central Asia, grading into ''poltaratskyi'' between Dzungarian Alatau and Altai. ⟶ Very similar to ''tauricus'' but smaller and completely allopatric, being separated by ''purpurascens'', ''caucasicus'' and ''nobilior''. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris nobilior'' . Afghanistan, SE Turkmenistan and adjacent Uzbekistan to E Iran. ⟶ Like ''purpurascens'' but smaller and wing shorter; ear-coverts glossed purple, and underside and upperwing gloss quite reddish. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris humii'' . Kashmir to Nepal.

⟶ Small; purple gloss restricted to neck area and sometimes flanks to tail-coverts, otherwise glossed green. ⤷ ''Sturnus vulgaris minor'' . Sind Starling. Pakistan. ⟶ Small; green gloss restricted to head and lower belly and back, otherwise glossed purple. Several other forms have been named, but are generally no longer considered valid. Most are intergrades from where the ranges of various subspecies meet. ⤷ ''S. v. ruthenus'' Menzbier, 1891 and ''S. v. jitkowi'' Buturlin, 1904 are intergrades between ''vulgaris'' and ''poltaratskyi'' from western Russia. ⤷ ''S. v. graecus'' Tschusi, 1905 and ''S. v. balcanicus'' Buturlin and Harms, 1909 are intergrades between ''vulgaris'' and ''tauricus'' from the southern Balkans to central Ukraine and throughout Greece to the Bosporus. ⤷ ''S. v.

heinrichi'' Stresemann, 1928 is an intergrade between ''caucasicus'' and ''nobilior'' in northern Iran. ⤷ ''S. v. persepolis'' Ticehurst, 1928 from southern Iran is very similar to ''vulgaris''; it is not clear whether it is a distinct resident population of simply migrants from southeastern Europe. Distribution Common Starlings prefer urban or suburban areas where artificial structures and trees provide adequate nesting and roosting sites. They also commonly reside in grassy areas where foraging is easyâ€”such as farmland, grazing pastures, playing fields, golf courses, and airfields. They occasionally inhabit open forests and woodlands and more rarely in shrublands such as the Australian heathland. European Starlings rarely inhabit dense, wet forests . Common starlings have also adapted to coastal areas, where they nest and roost on cliffs and forage amongst seaweed. Their ability to adapt to a large variety of habitats has allowed for their dispersal and establishment throughout the worldâ€”resulting in a habitat range from coastal wetlands to alpine forests, from sea level to 1900 metres above sea level.

Widespread throughout the northern hemisphere, the European Starling is native to Eurasia and is found throughout Europe, northern Africa , northern India, Nepal, the Middle East , and north-western China. Furthermore, it has been introduced to and successfully established itself in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, North America, Fiji, and several Caribbean islands. As a result, it has also been able to migrate to Thailand, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. In Australia, Common Starlings are present throughout the southeast, although some isolated populations have been observed in northern and Western Australia. They are prevalent throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and scattered sites in the southeastern part of Western Australia. The bird has been observed nesting in gardens as the city of Buenos Aires from 1987. Since then, the species has expanded its breeding range at an average speed of 7.5 km / year, always following the Atlantic coast, just 30 km away inside. In Argentina, the species nests in a variety of media.This adaptable species is considered to be a pest in several of the countries to which it has been introduced. The European Starling is a hole-nesting species and will nest in just about any cavity it finds.

It has affected native species where it has been introduced because of competition for nest sites. For example, in North America, the Purple Martin is now widely dependent on artificial nest houses put up by humans, which must be protected from colonization by European Starlings. Status Overall, the European Starling is listed by the IUCN as being a species of least concern. However, it has been adversely affected in northern Europe by intensive agriculture, and in several countries, it has been red-listed due to declines of more than 50%. In the United Kingdom, it declined by more than 80% between 1966 and 2004; although populations in some areas&mdash;such as Northern Ireland&mdash;are stable or even increasing, those in other areas&mdash;mainly in England&mdash;declined even more sharply. The overall decline has been attributed to a loss of food-rich permanent pasture, leading to the low survival rates of young birds. Major declines have also been observed from 1980 onward in Sweden, Finland, northern Russia , and the Baltic States, and smaller declines in much of the rest of northern and central Europe.

In contrast, there have been increases in southern Europe, particularly in Italy, southern France, and northeastern Spain where the species first began breeding in the 1960s. Earlier, the European Starling had shown marked increases throughout Europe in the period 1800-1900. Before 1800, it had a disjunct range in the British Isles, absent from central and southern Scotland, with ''S. vulgaris zetlandicus'' in the far north and northwest , and ''S. vulgaris vulgaris'' south of the Scottish-English border; it was also rare or regionally absent in Ireland, western Wales and western and northernmost England. Between 1800 and 1900, ''S. vulgaris vulgaris'' colonised north and westward from England to Ireland and all of Scotland except for Shetland ; since 1935, this subspecies has also spread to Iceland, where it now breeds in the southeast and southwest. ''S. vulgaris vulgaris'' is also occasionally seen in the Faroes. Behavior It is a highly gregarious species in autumn and winter.

Flock size is highly variable, with huge flocks providing a spectacular sight and sound usually occurring near roosts. These huge flocks often attract birds of prey such as Merlins or Sparrowhawks. Flocks form a tight sphere-like formation in flight, frequently expanding and contracting and changing shape, seemingly without any sort of leader. Very large roosts, exceptionally up to 1.5 million birds, can form in city centres, woodlands, or reedbeds, causing problems with their droppings. These may accumulate up to 30&nbsp;cm deep, killing trees by their chemical concentration; in smaller amounts, the droppings are, however, beneficial as a fertiliser, and therefore woodland managers may try to move roosts from one area of a wood to another to spread the benefit and avoid large toxic deposits. Huge flocks of more than a million Starlings are observed just before sunset in spring in southwestern Jutland, Denmark. There they gather in March until northern Scandinavian birds leave for their breeding ranges by mid-April. Their flocking creates complex shapes against the sky, a phenomenon known locally as ''sort sol'' .

To witness this spectacle, the best places are the seaward marshlands of TÃ¸nder and Esbjerg municipalities between TÃ¸nder and Ribe. Flocks of anything from five to fifty thousand Starlings form in areas of the UK just before sundown during mid winter. These flocks are commonly called a Starling "''Moot''". Starlings are hunted by birds of prey, including the Peregrine Falcon and Brown Falcon. However, in the 1970s the consumption of chemically treated crops by the starlings which were subsequently eaten by Peregrine Falcons caused a dangerous build-up of the toxin in the falcon. As a result, lower reproductive success was observed as a result of thinner eggshells and a build-up of organochlorine residues in eggs. European Starling nests are especially vulnerable to predators such as stoats, foxes, and humans. Common Mynas are also a threat, as they often evict eggs, nestlings, and adult starlings from their nests. Habitat Common Starlings prefer urban or suburban areas where artificial structures and trees provide adequate nesting and roosting sites.

They also commonly reside in grassy areas where foraging is easyâ€”such as farmland, grazing pastures, playing fields, golf courses, and airfields. They occasionally inhabit open forests and woodlands and more rarely in shrublands such as the Australian heathland. European Starlings rarely inhabit dense, wet forests . Common starlings have also adapted to coastal areas, where they nest and roost on cliffs and forage amongst seaweed. Their ability to adapt to a large variety of habitats has allowed for their dispersal and establishment throughout the worldâ€”resulting in a habitat range from coastal wetlands to alpine forests, from sea level to 1900 metres above sea level. Widespread throughout the northern hemisphere, the European Starling is native to Eurasia and is found throughout Europe, northern Africa , northern India, Nepal, the Middle East , and north-western China. Furthermore, it has been introduced to and successfully established itself in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, North America, Fiji, and several Caribbean islands. As a result, it has also been able to migrate to Thailand, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea.

In Australia, Common Starlings are present throughout the southeast, although some isolated populations have been observed in northern and Western Australia. They are prevalent throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and scattered sites in the southeastern part of Western Australia. The bird has been observed nesting in gardens as the city of Buenos Aires from 1987. Since then, the species has expanded its breeding range at an average speed of 7.5 km / year, always following the Atlantic coast, just 30 km away inside. In Argentina, the species nests in a variety of media. Reproduction The breeding season begins in early spring and summer. In Australia, eggs are typically laid from late September to late November but the range extends from late July to December. Following copulation, female European Starlings will lay an egg on a daily basis over a period of several days. If an egg is lost during this time period, she will lay another egg to replace it. The eggs are small elliptical blue eggs that commonly have a glossy appearance to them. Incubation lasts 13 days, although the last egg laid may take 24 hours longer than the first to hatch. Both parents share the responsibility of sitting on top of the eggs.

However, the female spends more time incubating the eggs than the male, and is the only parent to do so at night . The young are born blind and naked. They develop light fluffy down within 7 days of hatching and sight within 9 days. Nestlings remain in the nest for 3 weeks, where they are fed continuously by both their parents. Fledglings continue to be fed by their parents for 1â€“2 weeks. Pairs can raise up to three broods per breeding season, frequently reusing and relining the same nest. Within two months, most juveniles have molted and gained their first basic plumage. Juveniles acquire their adult plumage the following year. Intraspecific brood parasites are common in European Starling nests. Female "floaters" present in colonies often lay eggs in another pair's nest. Additionally, fledglings have been reported to invade their previous nests or neighboring nests and evicting the new brood. Food The European Starling is insectivorous, and typically consumes insects including caterpillars, moths, and cicadas, as well as spiders.

While the consumption of invertebrates is necessary for successful breeding, starlings are omnivorous and can also eat grains, seeds, fruits, nectars, and garbage, if the opportunity arises. There are several methods by which they forage for their food; but for the most part, they forage from or near the ground, taking insects from or beneath the surface of the soil. Generally, starlings prefer foraging amongst short-cropped grasses and are often found between and on top of grazing animals out to pasture. Large flocks forage together, in a practice called â€œroller-feedingâ€: where the birds at the back of the flock continually fly to the front of the flock as they forage so that every bird has a turn to lead . The larger the flock, the nearer individuals are to one another while foraging. Flocks often forage in one place for some time, and return to previous successfully foraged sites. There are four types of foraging observed in the European Starling: ⤷ Probing: The bird plunges its beak into the ground randomly and repetitively until an insect has been found.

Probing is often accompanied by bill gaping where the bird opens its beak while probing to enlarge a dirt hole or to separate a lump of grass. This instinctual behavior has been observed in starlings eating garbage from plastic garbage bagsâ€”the bill gaping results in the opening of holes in the garbage bags that allow for extrication of consumables. ⤷ Sallying: When the starling grabs an invertebrate directly from the air, a particularly successful behavior among this species. ⤷ Lunging: A less common technique where the starling lunges forward to catch a moving target or invertebrate on the surface floor. ⤷ Gleaning: When the bird pulls backwards to extricate an earthworm from the soil. Among European Starling, sallying and probing are the most common foraging behaviors. Cultural *In Welsh Mythology Branwen tamed a starling and sent it across the Irish Sea with a message to her brother Bran, who sailed from Wales to Ireland to rescue her with his brother, Manawydan. ⤷ The starling's ability to mimic human speech earned the bird this cameo in William Shakespeare's ''Henry IV'': ⟶ ''The king forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer.

But I will find him when he is asleep, and in his ear I'll holler 'Mortimer!' Nay I'll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer, and give it to him to keep his anger still in motion.'' ⤷ William Butler Yeats poem "The Stare's Nest by My Window" is about a starling's nest. "Stare" is a local, informal variation of "starling." ⤷ On their 1999 album "Brighten the Corners, the '90's indie rock band Pavement released the song ''Starlings of the Slipstream''. The band was from California , where European Starlings are ubiquitous . ⤷ One of the main characters of the novel and film The Silence of the Lambs is named Clarice Starling. At one point, another character makes a pun based on her name and tells her to "Fly away, little Starling... Fly, fly, fly..." ⤷ In the Nintendo DS video games, PokÃ©mon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum the PokÃ©mon species Starly and its "Evolutions" are based upon the common starling. References: Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Status: Least concern European Starling, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Rusty Blackbird Backyard Tips This species often comes to bird feeders. Find out more about what this bird likes to eat and what feeder is best by using the Project FeederWatch Common Feeder Birds bird list . Find This Bird Starlings are common around cities and towns. Look in lawns, city parks and squares, and fields. They’ll be working their way across the grass, often moving in a slight zig-zag line and seeming to hurry as they stab their bills into the ground every step or two. In the countryside you’re more likely to see starlings perched in groups at the tops of trees or flying over fields or roads in tight flocks. Get Involved You can help scientists learn more about this species by participating in the Celebrate Urban Birds ! project View and sort images of nesting starlings online with CamClickr to help scientists archive data from our NestCams If you have a bird using a nest box, report nesting activity to NestWatch You Might Also Like A Darwinian Dance : Starlings and Falcons engage in an age-old aerial ballet. Story and Photographs in Living Bird magazine.

Visit the NestCams archives for a close-up view of starlings in their nest common starling | bird | Britannica.com Common starling THIS IS A DIRECTORY PAGE. Britannica does not currently have an article on this topic. Alternative Titles: European starling, Sturnus vulgaris Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris). George W. Robinson—Root Resources/EB Inc. European, or common, starling (Sturnus vulgaris). AdstockRF European, or common, starling (Sturnus vulgaris). ©Vilmars Berzins/Fotolia Flock of European, or common, starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). © iStock/Thinkstock European, or common, starling (Sturnus vulgaris) feeding its offspring. © Grant Glendinning/Shutterstock.com Learn about this topic in these articles: in Sturnidae ...with metallic sheen. Some are crested or display wattles or bare patches of skin. They chatter continually while in flight and when roosting, often gathering in spectacular numbers.

The widespread common starling ( Sturnus vulgaris) consumes large numbers of insects but also feeds on grain and small fruits, competing severely with other desirable songbirds. Since their introduction into... in owl: Reproduction and development ...woodpeckers in large cacti. Intense competition has been observed among nesting birds, including owls, for occupancy of a limited number of nest sites. The invasion of saguaro desert habitats by the European starling ( Sturnus vulgaris) has had a serious effect on small owls and other cactus-dwelling birds. The aggressive and abundant starlings occupy cavities before other species have... in starling any of a number of birds composing most of the family Sturnidae (order Passeriformes), especially Sturnus vulgaris, a 20-cm (8-inch) chunky iridescent black bird with a long sharp bill. It was introduced from Europe and Asia to most parts of the world (South America excepted). The millions in North America are descendants of 100 birds released in New York City in 1890–91. They...

in mimicry: The effectiveness of warning systems In other experiments, starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) were fed normal mealworms, two segments of which had been painted orange. To provide aposematic “models,” the experimenter made other mealworms distasteful and painted the same segments green. “Mimics” were marked with green but not rendered unpalatable. There is no known instance in nature in which animals employ... in migration (animal): In Europe ...and blackbirds ( Turdus merula) are usually sedentary in western Europe; they are usually migratory, however, in northern Europe, where their flights resemble a short migration. Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) are sedentary in western Europe, where large numbers gather from eastern Europe. Large flocks also pass the winter in North Africa. in migration (animal): Modes of migration ...terrain covered. Birds in migration go faster than otherwise.

Rooks ( Corvus frugilegus) have been observed migrating at speeds of 51 to 72 kilometres (32 to 45 miles) per hour; starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) at 69 to 78 kilometres (43 to 49 miles) per hour; skylarks ( Alauda arvensis) at 35 to 45 kilometres (22 to 28 miles) per hour; and pintails ( Anas acuta) at 50 to... Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Sturnus vulgaris (Carolus Linnaeus, 1758) The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European starling or in the British Isles just the starling, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about 20 cm long and has glossy black plumage, which is speckled with white at some times of year. The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer; young birds have browner plumage than the adults.

It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare. The common starling has about a dozen subspecies breeding in open habitats across its native range in temperate Europe and western Asia, and it has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, North America, Argentina, South Africa and elsewhere. This bird is resident in southern and western Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in winter within the breeding range and also further south to Iberia and North Africa. The common starling builds an untidy nest in a natural or artificial cavity in which four or five glossy, pale blue eggs are laid. These take two weeks to hatch and the young remain in the nest for another three weeks. There are normally one or two breeding attempts each year. This species is omnivorous, taking a wide range of invertebrates, as well as seeds and fruit. It is hunted by various mammals and birds of prey, and is host to a range of external and internal parasites.

Large flocks typical of this species can be beneficial to agriculture by controlling invertebrate pests; however, starlings can also be pests themselves when they feed on fruit and sprouting crops. Common starlings may also be a nuisance through the noise and mess caused by their large urban roosts. Introduced populations in particular have been subjected to a range of controls, including culling, but these have had limited success except in preventing the colonisation of Western Australia. The species has declined in numbers in parts of northern and western Europe since the 1980s due to fewer grassland invertebrates being available as food for growing chicks. Despite this, its huge global population is not thought to be declining significantly, so the common starling is classified as being of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Taxonomy and systematics The common starling was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 under its current binomial name. Sturnus and vulgaris are derived from the Latin for "starling" and "common" respectively. The Old English staer, later stare, and the Latin sturnus are both derived from an unknown Indo-European root dating back to the second millennium BC.

"Starling" was first recorded in the 11th century, when it referred to the juvenile of the species, but by the 16th century it had already largely supplanted "stare" to refer to birds of all ages. The older name is referenced in William Butler Yeats' poem "The Stare's Nest by My Window". The International Ornithological Congress' preferred English vernacular name is common starling. The starling family, Sturnidae, is an entirely Old World group apart from introductions elsewhere, with the greatest numbers of species in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Sturnus is polyphyletic and relationships between its members are not fully resolved. The closest relation of the common starling is the spotless starling. The non-migratory spotless starling may be descended from a population of ancestral S. vulgaris that survived in an Iberian refugium during an ice age retreat, and mitochondrial gene studies suggest that it could be considered as a subspecies of the common starling. There is more genetic variation between common starling populations than between nominate common starling and spotless starling.

Although common starling remains are known from the Middle Pleistocene, part of the problem in resolving relationships in the Sturnidae is the paucity of the fossil record for the family as a whole. Subspecies There are several subspecies of the common starling, which vary clinally in size and the colour tone of the adult plumage. The gradual variation over geographic range and extensive intergradation means that acceptance of the various subspecies varies between authorities. Subspecies European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - Common Starling European Starling By Melissa Mayntz Updated January 30, 2016. Adaptable and resourceful, the European starling is a common bird worldwide. Native to Eurasia, the species has been so successfully introduced around the world that it is considered an invasive bird in many areas, including North America.

Common Name: European Starling, Common Starling, Starling Scientific Name: Sturnus vulgaris Bill: Long, pointed, yellow in breeding plumage, blackish-gray in non-breeding plumage Size: 8.5 inches long with 15-inch wingspan, stubby tail Colors: Black, buff, iridescent , red, brown, white Markings: Sexes are identical with allover black plumage highlighted with an iridescent green and purple gloss on the head, back, nape , flanks and chest. Fresh fall plumage has buff, whitish or brownish tips to feathers giving the birds a heavily spotted look, though the spots wear off by spring. Wings and the short tail are dark and edged with buff. Legs and feet are red. Winter plumage is duller overall without the iridescent gloss, and the legs and feet are darker. Juveniles are sooty gray allover, with slightly darker lores and a paler throat. Young birds have black legs and feet and a dark bill.

continue reading below our video 7 Hobbies That Can Make You Money Foods: Insects, fruit, grain, seeds (See: Omnivorous ) Habitat and Migration: The European starling's native habitat includes a year-round range in Western Europe and around the Caspian Sea that expands to Scandinavia and western Russia in the summer and the Iberian Peninsula, Middle East and northern Africa in the winter. These birds have been introduced in many regions worldwide, including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In North America, European starlings are found year-round throughout the continental United States, northern Mexico and southern Canada, expanding further north during summers. Regardless of where the birds are found, they prefer open habitats such as plains, agricultural fields and open woodlands, and in urban and suburban areas they are frequently found in yards and parks. Vocalizations: These are noisy birds with a wide variety of loud, demanding calls. Typical calls include whistles, chatters, rattles, chips and trills, and they can also imitate numerous other bird species and non-bird sounds. Juvenile birds are especially loud when begging in the nest or shortly after fledging, and a flock of either juveniles or adults can make an overwhelming cacophony.

Behavior: European starlings are tenacious, energetic birds that can be aggressive when feeding or nesting. During the breeding season they are generally solitary or found in pairs, but in the fall and winter they will form large roosting flocks that may number up to 1 million birds or more. These large flocks can be primarily starlings or may be mixed with different blackbird species. While feeding, these birds forage on the open ground, prodding into short grass and soil with their bills to seek out insects and grain as they walk around, with occasional hops in their gait. They have been known to raid the caches of other birds and will readily steal from one another. Reproduction: These are generally monogamous birds that aggressively claim nesting cavities from other species, including woodpeckers, chickadees and bluebirds. Occasional polygamy is noted in some males. A mated pair will produce 2-3 broods of 5-8 pale blue or greenish oval-shaped eggs each during the breeding season. Both parents incubate the eggs for 12-14 days, and both parents will feed the altricial young for an additional 19-21 days after hatching.

The juvenile birds will follow their parents for another 1-2 weeks begging and demanding food. Attracting European Starlings: These birds are easily attracted to backyard feeders with peanut butter, suet and bread scraps, and they will also visit platform and hopper feeders for seed and grain. Because these birds can bring large flocks with voracious appetites to a backyard, many birders prefer to discourage their visits . Using bird feeders with cages to exclude larger birds and cleaning up seed spilled on the ground can minimize European starling intrusions. Conservation: These birds are not considered threatened or endangered, though in some areas of their native range, their populations are declining drastically. In other areas, however, populations are rising, leading ornithologists to believe the overall range of the species may be shifting somewhat, rather than simple population changes. In areas where these birds are considered invasive, they are not often protected and may be subject to culling or persecution. Similar Birds: Common Starling | BIRDS in BACKYARDS BIRDS in BACKYARDS Common Starling Did you know?

Flocks of Common Starlings are often seen at dusk wheeling in large circles as they search for a roosting site for the night Calls The song of the Common Starling is an unmusical collection of wheezy whistles, clicks, scratching notes and some mimicry of other bird calls. Mainly August to January but can be anytime Clutch Size: What does it look like? Description: The Common Starling has a wide variation in plumage. Both sexes are similar, although the female is less glossy than the male. In autumn, when the plumage is new, birds are glossed black, with a purple and green shine, and the tips of the body feathers have large white spots. At this time the bill is dark and the legs are brown. With wear, the white spots are lost, while the bill and legs turn yellow. During the breeding season adults become glossy-black without any spots. Young birds are dull grey-brown. Where does it live? Distribution: In Australia, the Common Starling has become a familiar sight around human habitation throughout the east and south-east.

Habitat: Once a common bird of European deciduous woodlands (now in more rural and urban areas), the Common Starling was introduced into Australia in the late 1850s through to 1870. It has become well established and is expanding its range. Seasonal movements: What does it do? Feeding: Common Starlings are most often seen searching for seeds and insects on lawns and in paddocks. Other food includes spiders, worms, human scraps and fruit crops. Birds feed mainly on the ground and often in vast flocks. Breeding: During breeding season, the large winter flocks of Common Starlings break up into pairs or small groups. The nest is an untidy cup of grasses, leaves, twigs and items of human rubbish. Nest sites are any type of hollow, such as tree hollows and house roof voids. The birds are aggressive when competing for nesting sites and readily drive out native species. The pale blue eggs are incubated by both sexes which also raise the young birds. Often two broods are raised in a season. Living with us The Common Starling is a prominent bird in open cultivated areas, and is a well-known pest of orchards.

References: European Starling – Sturnus vulgaris - Birds Birds Follow It's Nature on Facebook European Starling European Starling is one of the most common city birds. Large Starling groups circling around buildings is an impressive view that can observed in most parts of the world – they’re widespread all around Europe, Western Asia, as well as North America, South Africa and Australia. These birds have adapted to living in human populated territories and they are currently one of the most common birds in Europe. Europian Starling European Starling is a very clever bird that easily gets used to living in new areas. In the last 50 years, when other bird species have been decreasing in population, the European Starling has become more widespread and their population has also grown. This bird reaches 22 cm in length and its wingspan is about 38 cm, while the plumage is black, with hints of green, purple and golden. Although initially European Starling was a forest bird, nowadays they can more often be seen in cities. Starlings are social birds that look for food and rest in large groups and often nest in large colonies, too. These birds are so sympathized to cities because they are warmer and they provide cover from wind.

They’re also often welcome guests in many human populated areas, because they catch bugs and insects and in New Zealand and post-soviet countries people even make special birdhouses for them. The bird’s diet depends on its surroundings. In the wild, European Starlings feed on seeds and fruit, and catch bugs and insects in pastures. They are also often, but not very welcome guests in orchards and vineyards, and as many farmers know, large groups of Starlings can cause great damage to farmlands. Populations of these birds living in the cities often feed in the surrounding areas, most often pastures or fruit gardens, and then, in the evening, return in a large group to spend the night in the city. A single Starling flock can be devastating to a fruit farm When the nesting period comes, Starlings find a mating partner and search for proper places to construct a nest. Those specimen that live in forests, use tree cavities or cliff gaps, while city birds find places under rooftops or other similar places. The nest itself is rather large and made of various plants, feathers, and often many other materials they can find, for instance, paper and cloth.

The hen lays 5-7 eggs, which hatch after twelve to thirteen days. The chicks develop fairly quickly, and they leave the nest already 3 weeks after hatching. In some areas like large pastures, the Starlings are welcome guests because they rid the area of insects and mosquitoes, while fruit growers will do anything to get rid of these birds. Being great imitators, the European Starlings sometimes entertain people in the cities by singing a phone melody or a song. Due to their great adaptation skills, the population of European Starlings is increasing and this species is currently not endangered. See what you can find... You May Also Like...

Question: What is the common name for the bird Sturnus vulgaris?
Answer: STARLING